Data from the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) show the Omicron variant of COVID-19 now makes up the vast majority of positive cases in the state. As of Jan. 26, 865 total cases of Omicron have been confirmed in Iowa, but officials believe the actual number is much larger. Differentiating between variants is a lengthy and labor-intensive process, so the sequencing required to make variant determination is not done for each positive COVID test. The State Hygienic Laboratory sequences about 300 samples per week, and approximately 93.5 percent of those specimens were Omicron according to their results through Jan. 22. Studies have shown the risk of severe illness with Omicron is about 70 percent lower than prior variants, but it is more transmissible than previous forms of the virus. National, state and local public health officials continue to recommend vaccination as the best way to prevent serious illness from COVID.